This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus (VZV) results in the painful and debilitating disease known as shingles. Our understanding of the immune response to VZV remains incomplete because studies on VZV pathogenesis, latency and reactivation are severely hampered by the lack of an appropriate animal model. We proposed to develop a new animal model whereby rhesus macaques are infected with the closely related simian varicella virus (SVV).